The Golden Door
by CelfwrDderwydd
Summary: Set between "Astral Link" and "Heart of the Hive". Kyle and Sophie have escaped from Dr. Reinhardt's research station to the ocean-world of Zerichs II, but their struggles are far from over. The rewards, though, just might be worth it...
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: The author does not own Aliens.

**The Golden Door**

by

CelfwrDderwydd

**Chapter One**

There was a hiss of air as the cryotube whirred and opened. A long, segmented black tail uncoiled from inside the tube and lazily laid across the floor as the owner of said tail came back to consciousness. Sophie breathed deeply as her senses came back. The hibernation the human cryotube brought was very unusual. It seemed like almost no time at all had passed, but she knew better.

She heard a soft murmur and looked down and smiled at the other occupant of the cryotube.

_Good morning, my mate,_ Sophie said as she lovingly kissed Kyle on the cheek as he stirred.

_'Morning, love._ Sophie purred as she stroked his face. She could feel how sleepy his mind still was as she mentally caressed him. Despite her growing excitement that they had finally reached their destination, she stayed in the tube, her arms wrapped around her mate as he began to wake from their eight-month slumber.

In the past when Kyle woke from hyper-sleep, he always felt tired, groggy and disoriented.

This time, though, he felt good. Perhaps it was waking up with someone he cared about and who cared for him that made the difference. Kyle smiled as he opened his eyes and gazed at the most important person in his life. Sophie smiled warmly as she brushed a strand of sandy-blonde hair from his eyes.

_You have such wonderful eyes,_ Sophie said softly as she gazed into his eyes. Kyle reached up and gently cupped Sophie's face with his hands.

_And you are so beautiful, Sophie. No female of any species is as beautiful as you._ Sophie purred as she embraced her mate. They were not words of empty flattery, he really meant them. It was almost impossible for them to lie to each other with their mental bond. Sophie stretched and yawned, the small mouth of her tongue shuddering before she got out of the cryotube, helping Kyle out after her.

Kyle was a little surprised that the ship was fairly warm. Usually, the ships were rather cold when people were brought out of hyper-sleep.

Kyle rolled his shoulders and rubbed his neck as he walked over to the control console to check where they were. Sophie followed as he sat in the pilot's chair and read over the readouts. They were only a few hours away from their destination of Zerichs II. That gave them plenty of time to be prepared when they landed. With that confirmed, Kyle stood and decided to take a more careful look around the ship.

Kyle was surprised at the kitchen and how well-stocked it was. There was an Autochef of very high quality, the kind that made food from real, organic protein, instead of the bland, twangy artificial proteins used in most Autochefs. There also were numerous cans and vacuum-sealed packages of high-quality food. There was even some wine, and expensive wine at that. A vintage 2614 Merlot, no less. Kyle couldn't help grinning. He looked at Sophie, who grinned even wider at the feast.

About an hour later, Kyle and Sophie were snuggled in the warm blankets of the captain's bed, stacks of plates and empty wrappers arranged around them in a semicircle. Kyle sighed contentedly and Sophie purred deeply.

_What a lovely feast,_ Sophie purred as she pulled the blankets tighter around them.

_Yeah. That's got to be the best breakfast I've ever had._ Kyle sighed as Sophie softly stroked his face with her tail. He leaned back against Sophie, who laid on her side behind him, curled around him like a cat. He smiled as he gazed at his mate, who purred happily.

_I love you, Kyle,_ she said fondly, her mind awash in warm feelings that she shared through their link. His smile grew as he moved to slide his arms around her neck, wrapping her in a warm hug, which she eagerly returned.

_And I love you, my sweet Sophie. Without you, I'd be lost._ Sophie gently kissed her mate at his words.

_My sweet, wonderful, beautiful Kyle, I'll always be here for you. If you're sad, scared or lost, I'll always be there for you._ Kyle gazed at his mate as he cupped her face, his heart filled with warmth.

With their mental link, there was no ambiguity, no lies or falseness to see through, as with humans. Everything they said to each other was true and from the heart. Kyle closed his eyes as he nuzzled his mate. Sophie purred deeper as she pulled him against her, her tail pulling the blankets closer around them as she stroked his hair lovingly.

_Thank you, Sophie._ Sophie smiled as she cradled her beloved mate against her, the two of them settling down to take a nap after their feast.

After their nap, Kyle chose to take a look around and take stock of what they had. Sophie followed her mate, curious and eager to learn more about how humans lived and the things they used.

The bathroom was full size, and more like the bathroom in a house than one in a spacecraft. Sophie was happy that Kyle had everything he needed to keep himself clean and healthy, but she was loathe for her mate to wash his wonderful smell away and replace it with flowery smells. She didn't mind the soaps that she could smell him through, though.

Kyle was surprised when he opened the closet in the bathroom.

"Wow!" Kyle exclaimed as he pulled out the expensive silk suit. The black, double-breasted suit was fittingly lavish for its late owner. Sophie gave a soft purr as she ran her fingers over the smooth fabric.

_This is nice,_ Sophie said as Kyle looked at the other expensive clothes of silk.

_Yeah. This looks like Solaran Moon-Silk. These clothes are probably worth a lot._ Kyle folded the suit back up and put it away before they left the bathroom

_Could we trade them for things we need?_ Sophie asked as she walked beside Kyle on all fours.

_We sure could. We could probably buy a house and a few acres of land with them._ Sophie trilled happily at the idea, rubbing her head against Kyle's side. Kyle chuckled as they walked towards the cargo bay.

Inside, there was little evidence of the last fight and the end of Reinhardt, which suited them both just fine. Kyle opened one of the large containers of gold and bullion. Kyle couldn't help blinking in amazement at the wealth. Sophie trilled curiously as she picked up one of the bars of gold, which Kyle would only be able to lift with great effort and both hands. The fact Sophie was able to hold the eighty-pound bar of gold in one hand, as Kyle would a book, was a fine example of just how strong his mate was. She turned the bar over in her hand, examining the metal.

_Kyle, what do these markings mean?_ Sophie asked. Kyle blinked as he looked at the gold bar as Sophie tilted it so he could see the markings stamped into the side.

When Kyle saw the symbol stamped into the gold, he felt all of the color drain from his face and he suddenly felt as cold as ice as he stared in horror. Sophie hissed softly, feeling her mate's distress. _Kyle, what's wrong?_ Kyle swallowed as he stared at an eagle, holding a diamond. Inside the diamond, was a swastika.

"_Nazi . . .,"_ Kyle breathed, suddenly feeling weak. Sophie moaned as she wrapped her arms and tail around her frightened mate to comfort him. As Sophie's mind connected with Kyle's she saw, with horror, the meaning of this symbol of hate.

Someone from the Twentieth Century might be surprised to find that, in the twenty-eighth century, the dreaded Nazi Reich had survived. Ironically, is was from the Neo-Nazi groups, living in the Former United States, that the seeds of the new Reich had grown. When humanity struck out into the depths of space, where law and order was slow to take hold, such racist groups could easily hide in deep space and grow and flourish, unhindered by law and governments. Deep in the depths of space, what had once been a small, racist militia gradually grew into a fascist army that was better armed and more vicious than the original Reich ever was.

The new Nazi Reich had caused more damage, death and sorrow than the first ever dreamed of.

Even when they had been defeated and scattered, the Nazis refused to die, and formed another, smaller Reich barely a century later, the Fifth Reich. They may not have called themselves Nazis, but, as someone once opined: "You can paint it whatever color you like, but a skunk still stinks".

Sophie growled angrily at what she saw.

_Murderers!_ she mentally growled as she wrapped Kyle's body and mind in comforting warmth.

_I can't say I'm surprised. Very fitting that Reinhardt was one of them._ Sophie moaned as she nuzzled her mate. As she looked at the Nazi symbol stamped into the gold, Sophie growled angrily, her grip tightening, the bar twisting and deforming in her mighty hand. Sophie dropped the bar as she cuddled her mate, kissing his face as she purred.

_I'm so glad we escaped._ Kyle softly stroked Sophie's face as she planted soft, feathery kisses on his face.

_So am I. I don't even want to think about what they would have done if we'd stayed longer._ Sophie purred deeply as she stroked Kyle's hair reassuringly.

_I would protect you. I'll never let them hurt either of us again!_ Sophie declared. Kyle smiled at Sophie's protective feelings.

Kyle and Sophie prepared to land on their new home. Kyle took the time to study the files stored in the ships database.

Kyle and Sophie were able to study about their new home from files of the Earth Scientific Planet Index.

Not surprisingly, Zerichs II had a _very_ high amount of rainfall, measured in feet, rather than inches. The planet also had a longer year than Earth, at fourteen months. The more they read, the more excited they became to finally see their new home.

When Zerichs II finally appeared in the window, they both stared at the beautiful blue world.

It was about the size of Earth, maybe a little smaller, with two moons orbiting it. Behind it, a very huge, brownish-green planet with rings loomed. Zerichs Prime, an uninhabited world of little interest to anyone but scientists curious about unusual worlds. Kyle smiled from where he sat in the pilot's seat as Sophie stood behind him, her arms wrapped around him, purring.

_What a beautiful planet,_ she mused. Kyle smiled as he engaged the autopilot, aiming for the largest island, where the largest city was. As they flew closer, they were surprised when they were hailed over the radio.

"_Unidentified craft, this is Zeraven astro-port, we have you on our screens. Please identify yourself," _stated the calm, male voice. Kyle blinked as he pressed the switch to reply, pausing to think of a name for the ship, other than Reinhardt's Nazi-inspired name. He looked at Sophie's hand caressing his shoulder, taking notice of her long, sharp claws. He cleared his throat and spoke in as gruff a voice as he could. "This is the _Talon_, requesting permission to land. I'm setting the autopilot. Can you boys handle it?" Kyle tried to imitate the whiskey, graveled voice of someone he'd heard when he was young. Sophie tilted her head in confusion and amusement at Kyle's act.

She could feel his heart pounding and the unease in his mind as she saw he was bluffing, trying to sound tougher and stronger than he was, so as to mislead potential threats. She purred as she stroked his hair and comforted him.

"_No problem, sir! Not at all! Is this a brief stop, or a longer stay?"_ Kyle smiled as Sophie purred.

"I brought my retirement funds. I'm thinking about staying," Kyle replied, keeping the deep, whiskey-voice, which was, to be honest, making his throat raw. Kyle could hear whispering and excited tones through the radio. Another voice came on, sharper.

"_We need proof of funds, first,"_ said the new voice. He guessed a supervisor. The console beeped and a small panel lit up with a golden glow, a small hologram floating over it that read:

**PROOF OF FUNDS.**

The panel was a currency reader, most often used for cards loaded with Credits. _"Please keep in mind that Credits must be-"_ Sophie grinned as she set a small, one-pound gold bar on the panel, which beeped and blinked. Kyle couldn't help grinning as he heard a distant voice over the radio.

"_Holy shi-"_ The other voice hurriedly shushed the amazed one.

"_Ah, yes, sir. We have a lovely dock on a cliff-side that overlooks the ocean,"_ the sharper voice replied, much more attentive and polite, Kyle noticed. Kyle couldn't help a mild chuckle.

"Thank you. That would be fine," he replied in the harsh voice. Sophie snickered.

As the ship flew through the clouds, Kyle and Sophie could see drops of rain on the windshield as they descended. When they broke through the clouds, Kyle stared in rapt awe.

The island was surrounded by a seemingly endless sea, gray clouds lay on the water, misty and wet as rain softly fell. The city they were approaching bordered on huge cliffs that jutted out into the bay. As they came closer, Kyle could see that there were scattered lights here and there in the cliffs. He smiled as he realized that some buildings were _inside_ the cliffs. As they passed over the bay, Kyle could see boats on the water below them.

The city wasn't a big city by any standards, and none of the buildings looked to be taller than four stories. The one exception seemed to be a tall lighthouse in the middle of what seemed to be the town square. A mist-shrouded glow shone from the lighthouse, illuminating the fog and clouds as it guided seagoing ships home. Sophie purred, wrapping her arms tighter around Kyle's shoulders as they flew over the city, towards what almost looked like another city next to the first. Kyle saw other ships landing and taking off, and realized that it was the spaceport, where they were heading.

As they flew closer, Kyle saw a long line of metal walkways set right into a cliff face. Several hollows in both the grating, and the cliff-side, indicated it was the dock they were heading for. Many such ship docks were built right into the rock. As they came in, mechanical arms and struts extended out and latched onto the sides of the ship. A rush went through Kyle and Sophie both as the ship rocked, shook gently as it finally came to a stop and docked.

"_Sir, we have a concierge service, for clients such as yourself, that can come and collect the docking fee, and, if you need, can procure you clothing, food, anything you might need."_ Kyle smiled as he pressed the switch.

"Thank you. That would be most helpful," Kyle replied, clicking the radio off. Sophie purred as she looked out the window at the wet, misty world beyond, almost twitching with excitement. Kyle smiled as he powered down the ship. He turned to Sophie as she kissed him on the cheek. _I need to get dressed for my performance,_ said Kyle. Sophie purred.

XXX

The three men were a little nervous as they walked down the gangways of the docks. This newest arrival was something else. All sorts of mental images formed from the gruff, no-nonsense voice they had heard. As was standard, two of them were armed. Not because they expected any trouble from the new arrival, but for security. After all, they would be dealing in larger-than-normal amounts of gold. The concierge cleared his throat as he touched the hatch-scanner of the ship. The door slid open, and they stared in surprise at the figure that greeted them.

He was tall and slim, dressed in an elegant, black, double-breasted suit, his sandy-blonde hair slicked back, his green eyes glistening as he smiled.

"Nice to meet you," he greeted. They were surprised at his voice, which was not quite as gruff as it had been. As if sensing their confusion, he tilted his head. "My throat was a little dry. Nasty, recycled air." They nodded as the blonde man gestured to several ounce bars of gold, already set out and waiting for verification. The concierge passed a small, hand-held scanner over it, which beeped, confirmed it was all solid gold. The concierge smiled at his new client ingratiatingly.

"A pleasure doing business with you, sir. Is there anything you need?" he asked. The blonde smiled politely as he dug in his pocket and brought out several gold coins.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I need some local, plain clothes, if you don't mind. I don't really like to stand out." They were surprised when he gave each one of them three coins. He smiled warmly at them. "And, please, keep the change. I know you work very hard. And I'm grateful you came in person to complete this transaction." They stared for a moment, the concierge passing the scanner over the coins, confirming their gold content.

"Yes, sir! We'll be back before you know it!" chirped one of the guards. The blonde man just smiled kindly. As they left, they were in awe.

"Jeez, what a neat guy! How many rich folks act like that, huh?" asked one.

"Yeah. But who'd have thought a scarecrow like him would have a voice like that?" The concierge smacked him.

"_Quiet!"_ hissed the concierge.

XXX

Kyle sighed as the door slid closed. As it did, Sophie uncoiled from the pipes and conduits in the ceiling, where she had been hiding the entire time. She gently curled her arms and tail around Kyle as he almost wilted, relieved everything went as planned.

"I can't believe that worked," he grinned. Sophie purred as she gently kissed his cheek.

_Why not? You were nice to them,_ she replied. Kyle smiled.

Kyle had remembered, when he worked on space stations, how the rich acted, how they turned their noses up, acted all regal and like everyone else was just dirt under their boot heels. He had taken that image and how they moved and talked and used it in a warm, kind way. Sophie purred as she stroked his hair comfortingly. _You did wonderful._ Kyle gently cupped Sophie's face as he smiled gratefully at her.

_I never could've done it if not for you,_ he said as he kissed her.

While Kyle had been acting, Sophie had been carefully watching and listening, both gauging the men, and helping keep Kyle calm and encouraging him. Through her, he could feel they weren't threatened, or aggressive, nor were they hiding anything. When she had felt Kyle trembling with nervousness, she gently stroked his mind, comforting him and helping him keep a calm, even exterior.

The concierge returned barely half an hour later. Kyle was surprised when they brought two pairs of jeans, three pairs of cargo pants, two jackets and several shirts, both t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts. As well as some boots, under clothes, socks and shoes.

"Ah, thank you all very much. I can hardly wait to walk in this marvelous rain and smell the sweet fresh air. Nothing at all like that nasty, polluted air of Thedus," said Kyle as he took the clothes. The guards looked at each other, then him.

"Well, you be careful, now. This place is . . . a little rough in some areas," warned one of the guards with a faint worried look on his face. Kyle only smiled at him.

"I know. I intend to be careful." The other guard leaned forward.

"Just remember: Stay away from the _Black Fence_. People around there aren't friendly, if you know what I mean . . .," Kyle stared at him for a second, before nodding.

"Thank you for the warning." The other guard gave Kyle a disk.

"This is data for new emigrants. All you need to know if you want to stay is on there." Kyle smiled and nodded.

"Thank you again." The guards nodded and left.

Sophie purred as she came out from where she had been hiding, perfectly blending into the piping and conduits. _Well, we're finally here,_ Kyle said as Sophie embraced him.

_It looks amazing! I can't wait to see outside! _Kyle smiled at his mate's enthusiasm.

_I know how you feel, but until we know more about the world, let's not let anyone know about you just yet,_ Kyle advised. Sophie agreed as Kyle changed his clothes, dressing in a jacket and took some of the gold coins and smaller bars of gold in a pack with him.

As he exited the ship, he was struck by the fresh, moist, clean smell to the air. Sophie purred from behind him.

_How lovely!_ Kyle smiled. This was only the second time he had been on a planet in his life. Kyle smiled as he turned to her.

_Okay. You wait here, and I'll be back soon._ Sophie gave a soft growl at that, her tail swishing.

_I'll do no such thing! I'm going with you._ Kyle blinked.

_But, Sophie-_ She purred as she stroked his hair.

_I'm not letting you go out into this unknown world all by yourself. With how misty it is, I can stay unseen easily enough. Somebody has to keep an eye on you._ Kyle smiled sheepishly and scratched behind his neck. Sophie purred as she hugged him. _Besides, I'm just as curious as you._ Kyle smiled and nodded as they exited the ship.

The scent of rain and the ocean was heavy in the moist cool air as they walked down the metal walkway built into the side of the cliff. Kyle noticed that their ship was the only one docked there. He glanced off to the side.

The sea was barely visible, due to the mist on the water. He looked at the port, and could see ships coming and going, and could hear some of the chatter from below. Steam rose from rooftops here and there and he could see vehicles moving between buildings. Sophie was fascinated by everything she could see and hear, and that was only the tip of the iceberg.

At the end of the dock, they came to a large, flat elevator. A cargo lift. Sophie looked out at the buildings below and purred. As Kyle activated the lift, Sophie walked to the edge and peered down. With a wiggle of her tail, she leaped off, flying through the air to land elegantly on the roof of the building below. Kyle smiled as he watched her perch near the edge of the roof, looking like a gargoyle in the mist.

As the lift stopped at street-level, Kyle could hear the chatter of the crowd. He took a deep breath of the clean air as he walked into the port. No sooner had he stepped off the lift, than he was amazed at his surroundings.

Signs glowed all around in over two-dozen languages, human and otherwise. All manner of people were coming and going. People were shopping at stalls, kiosks or going in and out of shops. The hustle and bustle of life was everywhere, yet nowhere near like what it was on space stations. People weren't jammed together with almost no room to breathe.

"_Clouka! Get your hot clouka here! Nice and hot! Only two Collin per bowl! This good deal! Get you hot clouka here!" _yelled an accented voice in broken English. Kyle looked at the stall where many customers were having a hot lunch. The person calling was an Arcturian.

The Arcturians were one of the races humans had met early on in their travels in space. An interesting, and lovely race. Kyle was pretty sure this one was a male, but couldn't be positive, as the Arcturians had three genders, and could switch freely between them at will. The one in the stall was a greenish blue color, his translucent skin shimmering and the tendrils on his head flexing as he called out to would-be customers. Kyle could feel Sophie's curiosity and interest as she watched the crowd, both from where she was, and through Kyle's eyes.

_How interesting! Are all human settlements like this?_ she asked, the excitement flowing through her. Kyle smiled as he walked along.

_Some are. Some are even bigger. This place is actually kind of small,_ Kyle replied.

Kyle could smell all kinds of cooking. Some of it wasn't exactly to his tastes, but not all of it was geared towards humans, either.

The next stall was a meat-seller, with all kinds of animals strung up and ready to be sold. Some Kyle recognized, some he didn't. He noticed that some had small signs above or below them, with a figure of a human and a red line through it, indicating it wasn't safe for humans to eat. The next stall over was dedicated to seafood, and had plenty of fine fare to choose from. Kyle's nose twitched as he smelled the scent of shrimp being cooked. He looked, and saw a man skewering some shrimp that were the size of Chihuahuas. His eyes widened and he began to drool. He felt Sophie beginning to drool at the smell.

"See somethin' you like?" asked a male voice. Kyle looked up at the man tending the stall. Kyle smiled as he indicated the large shrimp.

"Yeah, what're those?" Kyle asked. The man grinned.

"Zerichs Prawn. Just caught. If you don't believe me, watch this," the man tapped one of the prawns, and it twitched and wiggled. Kyle stared, awed. The vendor smiled. "They don't get any fresher!" Kyle smiled as he brought out two gold coins. The man gave them a quick scan and smiled. "Want 'em cooked? No charge, lots of butter." Kyle nodded, and could feel Sophie bobbing her head enthusiastically. The man smiled and took up several fresh prawn, removed the shells and innards before skewering them and roasting them over hot coals. Kyle watched, awed as the gray meat turned bright pink before his eyes. The man slathered some butter on, and Kyle's stomach growled, as did Sophie's. Once they were done, the man wrapped them in paper and handed them to Kyle. "Enjoy."

Kyle smiled and thanked him as Sophie hurriedly directed him to an ally. He had barely stepped in when she wrapped her tail around him and carried him up to the roof with her. He smiled as she sat in front of him, purring deeply. He smiled as he unwrapped the prawns, and Sophie drooled in buckets. She quickly took hers and began to devour it, purring all the while.

_I really like this world,_ she stated as she feasted on the fresh seafood. Kyle smiled as he stroked her tail.

_So do I, Sophie._ With that, he partook of his own portion, and it was delicious. Everything felt soft, dream-like. It was surreal, they were actually here, they had _done it, they had escaped . . ._

**Author's note:** I was always curious about Kyle and Sophie's adventures in the two years between _Astral Link_ and _Heart of the Hive_, so, I decided to go back and see.

Read, review and enjoy!


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The next day, Kyle went back out to explore, Sophie following on the rooftops. This day, it had been raining off and on, sometimes a light drizzle, sometimes it was almost a downpour. At the moment, it was only a light, misty drizzle, which Sophie was thoroughly enjoying.

This day, Kyle had learned that non-residents were not allowed to leave the spaceport. With what he had seen thus far of the port, he didn't blame the locals.

As he wound his way through the streets, he noticed there were fewer people out and about. Not surprising, given the weather at the moment. Kyle was taking in the sights and sounds as he walked.

None of the buildings were very tall. The tallest he'd seen thus far was only four stories tall. Most of the buildings looked to have been made from stone, like those from Old Earth. Some of them were a rainbow of different colors of native rock, giving them a distinctive appearance. The alleys between most of the buildings were narrow, but not quite as narrow as some he'd seen before. The lack of piping, tubing and conduits made it distinct from other buildings Kyle had viewed, yet similar in some ways. The glowing neon signs advertising almost everything imaginable was another point of familiarity. Sophie was having a grand time leaping from roof to roof, staring down, observing the crowds and learning all the while.

_This is amazing!_ Kyle smiled at his mate's awe of the city.

Kyle had also noticed that the air was noticeably cleaner than any he'd smelt before. Not just to his lungs, but to his eyes. Although there was steam from some of the rooftops, there was no smoke or smog. Kyle felt Sophie take the time to observe one of the tubes on the rooftops venting steam into the air, curious about her alien surroundings.

As he came to an intersection, he noticed a group of females standing at a corner, and stopped.

From their skimpy dress and body language, he knew immediately what they were doing. Kyle turned up the collar of his jacket and tried not to be noticed by the prostitutes as he walked by.

"Hey, cutie pie! Wanna have some fun?" one of them called. Kyle just pulled his collar up higher and tried to hide his blush. He only caught a tiny glimpse, but that skimpy thong left nothing to the imagination. There was no doubt the pretty, blue Arcturian was a female. Kyle could feel Sophie's confusion and fascination, as well as concern, sensing his embarrassment.

_That clothing looks very uncomfortable,_ she observed. Kyle lightly chuckled and agreed as he hurried away. Kyle stopped under an awning and ruffled his wet hair. He looked at the sign of the shop. It was of a simple rose above the word _Curios_. Sophie was curious as well. Kyle gave a quick glance around before going in.

Inside the shop was dim, but warm. There were many shelves, filled with all manner of things.

The smell of incense was faint in the air. The pleasant scent of sandalwood drifted as Kyle looked around. The more he looked, the more it brought back fond memories from when he was a kid, poking around a similar shop of curiosities. There was a shelf of music boxes of many different kinds. Some were very simple, others were fantastically lavish. One in particular drew his attention. This one had a beautiful unicorn on the top, rearing proudly and delicately enameled. As he reached out to touch it, he got the feeling he wasn't alone.

He turned, and blinked with surprise as he stared into two huge, orange eyes, framed by fluffy gray fur. Kyle took a step back and gave a light bow.

"Um, nice to meet you," he said politely. The reply was a trilling whistle.

The large being was a Shamolene. The nine-foot-tall being had a head that looked very much like that of an owl, with wide eyes and a beak. Unlike an owl, the Shamolese had modified feathers that were more like fur, which led some people to rudely call them yetis. The two wide feelers on top of its head further gave resemblance to an owl, although they were actually antennae, like a moth would have. The powerful, long body had two arms and four legs, ending in a short tail. The Shamolene blinked one eye, then the other as it stared at Kyle. It grasped a keyboard hanging around its neck and typed with its long, clawed fingers.

"_Apology,"_ came the synthetic voice. _"Can I help you?"_ The Shamolene lightly bowed, gesturing to the shelves. Due to the structure of their tongues and throats, Shamolese couldn't speak human languages, and humans could only roughly replicate a few of their sounds.

Kyle was surprised when he heard another whistle from in the shop.

"Gur? Is that a customer?" asked the elderly, female voice. The Shamolene gave a trilling whistle in reply. The figure that appeared from around the shelf stunned Kyle.

A little old lady, draped in a shawl, with rosy cheeks and snow-white hair smiled kindly at him. "Welcome, young fellow. Please don't be afraid of Gur. He's as gentle as they come," she assured as she patted the Shamolene's hand. The Shamolene, Gur, gave a soft chirp as he closed his eyes and bowed his head, his feelers tucking close to his head. Kyle was silent for a few moments.

"You look like my Grandma," he breathed. She smiled as she patted Kyle's shoulder.

"I'm everybody's Granny. Come. I have a pot of hot tea and some cake." Kyle smiled softly at the warmth of the little old woman, his heart filled with warmth. He could feel Sophie's fascination and curiosity as the little old woman and Gur led him to a chair sitting by the counter, where a pot of tea and some tea cakes were waiting. "Make yourself comfortable," she said as she took her seat behind the counter. Kyle couldn't help smiling at the delightfully warm atmosphere. "My name is Rose. It's a pleasure to meet you." Kyle smiled at Granny Rose.

"I'm Kyle," he said as he shook her hand. He also offered his hand to Gur, who seemed surprised, but shook it with a trill.

"Well, you look like you're new here," she observed as she poured some tea. "Cream or sugar?" she asked. Kyle smiled wider.

"Yes, please." She smiled as she added some cream and cubes of sugar to the tea. "Yes, I just arrived." Granny rose smiled as she blew on her tea.

"Stopping over?" she asked, making conversation. Kyle shook his head as he took one of the tea cakes.

"Actually, I'm hoping to stay." Gur's feelers perked up and he trilled. Granny Rose beamed.

"How wonderful! Don't let this place mislead you, Kyle. The rest of Zerichs II is a wonderful place. But this port has become a little rough over the years." Kyle smiled as he took a bite of cake.

"No place is perfect," he replied, trying not to talk with his mouth full. Gur gave an odd sound that was part growl, part chirp.

"_Bad people in port. Good people in city. Bright tower, Golden Door."_ Kyle blinked as he looked at Gur. Granny Rose smiled as she nodded, her eyes looking misty. She looked at Kyle and smiled that Grandmotherly smile.

"So, is there anything in particular you're looking for?" she asked. Kyle blinked as he scratched his head.

"Actually, I was just kind of exploring," he admitted. Granny rose smiled.

"Well, have a look around. If you need any help getting something up high, let Gur know." Gur nodded and trilled.

"_Long arms, help customers, carry heavy."_ Kyle smiled as he finished his cake and tea and explored the shop.

_Kyle, she's nice,_ Sophie observed. Kyle smiled gently as he looked at the shelves of items.

_She's wonderful, Sophie,_ he replied.

As Kyle looked up and down the shelves, he noticed something wooden. A case of some kind. Curious, Kyle carefully pulled it out. Carefully engraved into the wood was a picture of Leonardo da Vinci. Kyle carefully opened the case, and was awed at the tubes of paint and brushes within. All of them were brand new, never touched. "Wow . . .," Kyle whispered. He could feel Sophie's amusement.

_Get it,_ she encouraged. Kyle blinked.

_No, Sophie. This is expensive, and the money would be better spent on-_

_Kyle, please get it. You liked to draw and paint. I want you to get it._ Kyle looked at the beautiful set.

"Ah, an artist, are we?" Granny Rose asked knowingly. He smiled at her. She seemed to read his thoughts as well as Sophie did. "Not many artists around here, so I marked it down." Kyle smiled as he closed the case and put it under his arm. Granny Rose smiled at him. "And, I have some canvases. Need something to paint on," she chuckled as she led him to the next shelf.

Gur whistled as he handed Kyle a tin. Kyle blinked as he took it and opened it up. Inside was a set of watercolors, shining brightly in the warm light. The pure white of the enameled paint wells, the perfect cakes of bright colors and the sharply-pointed brushes indicated that it, too had never been used. Granny Rose smiled as Kyle looked at the wonderful paints with childlike wonder. "I also have watercolor paper," she said as Kyle snapped the tin closed.

XXX

Kyle couldn't help smiling as he left Granny Rose's shop. He could feel Sophie almost bouncing with excitement on the rooftops. She was so glad he had bought the paints, supplies. She wanted her mate to be happy and to treat himself. They had more than enough money.

Kyle had been elated to learn that the currency of Zerichs II was based on hard coin. Gold, silver, platinum, gems, as well as barter and trade. In fact, Credits were of no use outside of the spaceport. Kyle smiled as he brought out his hand from his pocket. The basic Zerichs' coin was the Collin, a small coin of gold, about the size of an old United States dime. Kyle quickly returned the coins to his pocket, lest he draw the attention of pickpockets or muggers.

Kyle was so excited, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going as he turned down an alley. It was only when he heard voices that he paid attention to where he was.

At the other end of the alley were three men. Two were rather normal and nondescript, but the third was tall, and built like a gorilla, with blonde hair in a crew cut. Kyle tensed up. From their body language, he knew they weren't just hanging around and enjoying a drink or a smoke. Kyle held his breath as he tried to back away without being noticed. Sadly, is wasn't to be. The tall one looked up and noticed him.

"What're ya lookin' at?" he asked gruffly. Kyle inwardly panicked. He could feel Sophie's distress and growing aggression as she readied herself for a fight. They started towards Kyle, but stopped dead in their tracks. At first, Kyle thought they had seen Sophie, but she was still on the roof.

A deep, sibilant sound filled the alley. A sound that was like that a giant Rattlesnake might make. Kyle felt a hand gently touch his shoulder. He looked up, and Gur was staring at the men, his antenna twitching as Gur made the Shamolese Threat Call. The three men hurriedly fled. Gur looked down at Kyle and gave a soft whistling chirp. Kyle smiled and released the breath he'd been holding.

"I'm okay," he replied. Gur felt Kyle shivering, and gently patted his shoulder in comfort as he motioned for Kyle to follow him, which he did, Sophie following on the rooftops. Gur twitched an antenna at the rooftops, and Kyle tensed lightly. Gur was aware of Sophie's presence. As Gur escorted Kyle back to Granny Rose's shop, he looked at a small group of men across the street and rattled. They quickly fled, and with good reason.

The Shamolese were a warrior-culture. In fact, when humanity first met them, it almost ended up turning into a war, which the Shamolese would most likely have won. Thankfully, diplomacy, and a few executions, saved the day. In terms of sheer brute strength, even Sophie might have a hard time matching a Shamolene warrior.

Granny Rose was waiting at the door, looking worried.

"Come in, both of you!" she hissed as Gur ushered Kyle inside.

The inside of Granny Rose's shop was a welcome shelter to the outside. The elderly woman poured some fresh hot tea and motioned for Kyle to sit. Gur gave a soft sound of comfort as Kyle sat. "Are you all right?" she asked, her tone worried. Kyle exhaled heavily and nodded.

"Took a wrong turn," he explained. She frowned.

"Glad I had Gur follow." She took a seat. "This place wasn't always like this, lad. Used to be a haven for the oppressed. For people to come and find hope." She dropped a few sugar cubes into a cup of tea, added some cream and handed it to Kyle, who gratefully took it. "Did you see what they looked like?" Kyle nodded and smiled. Granny Rose frowned as she placed her hand on Kyle's. "Kyle, if they let you see what they looked like, it meant they were going to kill you." Kyle stared at her and he could feel Sophie's fear and anger. Granny Rose gently patted his hand. "Could you describe them?" she asked. Kyle smiled wider as he pulled up the packages and pulled out a pencil and paper.

"Better than that, I can _draw_ them," he said as he began sketching. Granny Rose stared for a moment before she smiled. While Kyle made the portraits of the crooks, Granny Rose took a small basket lined with cloth and began putting tea cakes and other treats into it.

Kyle smiled as he finished and handed the drawings to Granny Rose. She blinked as she stared at the very lifelike portraits, her eyes widening in wonder.

"My word. You're very talented. Where did you learn to draw so well?" she asked with a smile. Kyle scratched the beck of his neck.

"I learned by doing. I never was taught. Not formally." She smiled as she patted his shoulder. Gur twittered as he gazed at the likenesses, agreeing with Granny Rose to the skill, and the likenesses of the bandits.

"Oh, have you filled out your immigration form yet?" she asked. Kyle blinked as he sipped some tea.

"Not yet. I hadn't been sure." Granny Rose brought up a holo-screen and typed. The immigration form was displayed.

"Fill it out. If you're an emigrant, those no-goods wouldn't dare touch you." Kyle blinked. She smiled and chuckled a little. "Every emigrant gets a bracelet and lanyard, that identifies them. Attacking, much less killing an emigrant, would bring the Port Authorities in, and armed at that. The criminal elements would do anything to prevent that." Kyle looked at the form and hesitated, wondering if he'd made a mistake, bringing himself and Sophie here?

_Fill it out, Kyle,_ Sophie encouraged. Kyle gave a soft sigh.

_I'm sorry, Sophie. Maybe we should just leave._ Sophie gave a negative as she comforted his mind.

_Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault. And don't forget what she said. The spaceport and the outside are very different. At least wait until we can see the outside before we decide to leave._ Kyle smiled as he began to fill out the form.

As Kyle typed, Granny Rose looked at the portraits Kyle had made of his would-be killers. She frowned lightly as she stared at the faces. Gur gave a soft twitter as he looked at the renderings, dedication them to memory. Granny Rose gave a soft whistle of Gur's own language, who replied with a chirp.

"Have to let Barnabas know . . .," she whispered. Gur nodded his agreement.

As Kyle filled out the form, he was more than a little nervous. Especially about what to put for his name. He had little doubt that Weyland-Yutani had listed him as dead, so using his real name might not be the best of ideas. He thought about his full name, he frowned.

_Kyle Trevor Williams._ Kyle's eyes drifted across the many odds and ends in Granny Rose's shop. His gaze happened to settle on a piece of carved rock. It was as if someone had switched a light bulb on over his head. He smiled as he tapped in his new name:

_**Trevor Stone.**_

Kyle could feel Sophie's amusement as he finished filling out the form.

"Now, before you submit it, let me look it over," said Granny Rose as she gave Kyle another tea cake and refilled his cup. Kyle smiled and nodded as he partook of the delicious cake with delicate frosting. Granny Rose smiled as she read over the form, typed a bit, then submitted it. She smiled at Kyle. "Welcome, honey, to Zerichs II." Kyle smiled, both warmed, and a bit sad. She reminded him so much of his own Grandma. Granny Rose smiled as she set the basket on the counter. Kyle stared in awe at the basket filled with all manner of treats and goodies. She hugged Kyle warmly.

"For you and your lady-friend." Kyle pulled back and stared at her. Granny Rose smiled knowingly. "I know the look of a young man in love." She gave a wink. As he was about to speak, she raised her hand. "Don't worry, honey. She's registered, and that's all that matters. The rest is nobody else's business. Including her species. Especially if there are people from Off-World trying to hurt her." Kyle nodded. Gur whistled as he held something. Granny Rose smiled. "And Gur has a gift for your lady." Kyle turned to the Shamolene and stared at the beautiful cloak he held.

It was a greenish-brown, and woven with symbols. "This is a Shamolese burnoose. They wear these when they don't want to be stared at or bothered. This way, you and your lady can move about normally and be left alone. Just make sure she wears her lanyard where it can be seen." Kyle took the cloak and smiled at the little old woman who he'd just met, already she had warmed his heart and soothed his worried, uncertain mind. Kyle hugged her.

"Thank you." She patted his back lightly.

"Now, you should be getting back. The rain's going to pick up again later." Kyle took the gifts and left the shop as the rain lightly drizzled. He walked into the first alley he could, where Sophie gently wrapped her tail around him and carried him up to the roof with her.

As soon as they were standing, she hugged him with her arms and tail. Kyle gave her a soft kiss on the cheek as they embraced. Kyle smiled as he gave Sophie her new cloak. She purred as she gently fingered the material. She pulled it on, and found it fit her perfectly, the very deep hood hiding her face and head. In fact, nothing of her body showed at all. Sophie purred as she wrapped the cloak around Kyle to protect him from the rain.

_Let's head back._ Kyle smiled and agreed.

XXX

They both were so relieved to finally return to the _Talon_, safely berthed, in port, up and away from prying eyes. Once inside, Sophie removed her cloak and shook it out. Kyle hugged her.

_I'm sorry, Sophie. I didn't mean to cause trouble._ She smiled and purred, giving him a negative.

_Don't apologize. It all worked out, and you're safe. That's the only thing that matters._ Kyle was relieved. He smiled as he reached into the packages. In all the fuss, he'd forgotten about his gift for Sophie. He pulled out the gift and presented it to her.

"This is for you, Sophie." She trilled as she stared at the beautiful music box with a unicorn on top of it. Kyle smiled as he wound it, and a lovely melody began to play as the enameled unicorn slowly turned to the tune _The Last Unicorn_. She took the gift in her large hands as the soft melody played. She purred as she looked at Kyle. She wrapped her tail around him as she purred.

_Oh, Kyle, thank you._ She let the warmth of her love and gratitude wash into his mind. She nuzzled her face against his as they simply enjoyed their embrace.

_You're welcome, Sophie. Love of my life._ Sophie's attention turned to the basket full of delicious treats and purred. Kyle grinned at her. "Come on, Cuddle-Bug. Let's have a nice snack." Sophie trilled her agreement.

XXX

That night, Sophie purred as she looked at Kyle as he slept, snuggled into their warm bed. She softly stroked his hair, purring warmly, filled with love and tenderness for her mate. She gently tucked the blankets in close, making sure he was comfortable. She loved him more than anything in all creation. She gave a soft, warm kiss to his cheek. He smiled. She softly stroked his mind with hers, letting him know he was safe and loved.

Satisfied he was safe and asleep, she turned and exited their ship. She looked up at the cloudy skies as she gave a soft growl. She had _business_ in the port.

With grace and swiftness that would put a ninja to shame, she moved among the shadows and the mists, moving unseen by the few that were out. She carefully focused on the world around her, letting her senses sharpen, feel the energies and smell the scents. As she moved, she carefully sifted through the smells, searching for very particular scents.

While Sophie was relieved that Kyle was safe, it greatly troubled her, those humans, those males. Looking back, she vaguely could smell blood on them, and not their own. It wasn't fresh, but it was there. Had she been able, she would have run them down, right then and there. She was very grateful to the Shamolene, Gur, for protecting Kyle. Now that Kyle was safe, she could find those humans and make sure they didn't hurt anyone else.

As she stalked, Sophie wondered how many they had killed? How many females were waiting for their beloved mates, who would never return? How many little ones cried for a parent they would never see again? All because of those nasty ones. Sophie gave a very low growl as she leaped across a street.

Kyle had asked her not to kill unless it was necessary, but she deemed this necessary. They might feel angered that Kyle got away, or even frightened he might identify them, which he had done. Besides, if she tossed the pieces in the sea for the fish to eat, it would make the port safer and give food to the creatures of the world. Everybody wins. These weren't even predators, they were butchering scavengers. Nobody would miss them, or mourn them.

As she leaped from roof to roof, Sophie stopped, smelling the scent of both her quarry, and blood. Not human blood, but animal blood, and quite pungent at that. Curious, she stopped and looked around. She carefully crawled down a building and examined the front of it.

To her, the blood stood out as clear as day. It had been painted near the door, in the shape of a crude skull and crossbones. She hissed softly.

Having seen detective stories with Kyle when they were on Reinhardt's research station, she knew what it was, and what it meant.

It was a mark of death. This was a sign of organized crime. These nasty killers were likely working for the gangs and crooks behind the Black Fence.

Sophie growled as she used her tail to wipe the blood away. Another house not far had a similar mark. One of the marked houses she recognized as belonging to a woman who sold vegetables in the market. What distressed Sophie was the scent of little ones in the home. Sophie angrily wiped the mark away and leaped up to the roof, intent on finding these nasty brutes and tearing them apart. Limb from limb. Slowly. Their screams would be the most delightful music to her ears. She would especially enjoy tearing the over-muscled arms from that big one, and seeing how high she could make him scream.

Sophie stopped when she became aware of a deep sound. It was almost like a bark, but one so low, she knew no human would be able to detect it. It was joined by another. She recognized one as belonging to Gur. Many such sounds echoed in the city. The Shamolese were speaking to each other. Sophie tilted her head as she listened. She was so absorbed, she almost didn't hear the voices.

"_I thought you marked the damn doors,"_ someone hissed. Sophie gave a soft growl as she recognized the smell of the very humans she was tracking.

"_I did. I know I did,"_ replied the voice of the muscled one. She had been about to turn and leap over the edge of the roof and attack, when she heard a Shamolene bark nearby. It was followed by many others. She could smell Gur, and others of his kind, all converging. Sophie peeked over the edge of the roof, and the three men were looking around. She had been right. They had placed those marks. Sophie looked around, and could feel and smell the Shamolenes closing in. Many of them. At least thirty. She looked at the three men, who were completely oblivious to the tightening net. Sophie allowed herself a grin as the first Shamolene appeared from the mists. The men were still unaware.

As one, the Shamolenes charged, grabbing the men in their powerful arms, three-fingered hands covering their mouths as they were dragged through the alleys. Sophie followed, almost bouncing on her feet with excitement as she watched, hoping it would be painful.

As they dragged the brutes past Granny's Rose's shop, Sophie could see a tall figure, wearing a large coat in the door. He was grinning darkly as the Shamolenes dragged the men past. At first, Sophie was worried, but Granny Rose appeared next to the tall man, who smiled down at her. Granny returned his smile. Sophie looked up as the Shamolenes dragged the men in front of the Black Fence, where there was a steel door. The Shamolenes roughly flung the men to the wet street, hands still covering their mouths. The eyes of the Shamolenes flashed in the dim light as they raised their hands to the sky, as if in some sort of ritual. They clenched their fists, and the beating began.

The sounds of blows landing and bones being broken filled the air as the men were beaten savagely. Sophie was twitching, wishing she could leap down and join them, but settled for being a spectator this time. Once all the limbs of the men had been broken, the Shamolenes stopped as the tall man approached. He pointed his cane at the thugs, then the fence. Gur hefted the muscled man as if he weighed nothing, the others picked up the other rest and threw them against the ramshackle Black Fence with a loud noise.

A peephole in the door slid open, and Sophie could smell another human. The tall man in the coat pointed at his own violet eyes with two fingers, then he pointed towards the peephole. The Shamolenes all hissed at the door as the peephole slammed shut. The message was clear: _We're watching you._

With that, the tall man and Gur returned to Granny Rose's shop, while the other Shamolenes returned to their homes. Sophie watched as Granny Rose and the tall man shook hands. Sophie looked back at the twisted, crumpled pile of bruised flesh that had once been three men. They were still alive, and conscious. She gave a low hiss as she looked down at the helpless thugs on the wet street below. Her lips peeled back from her teeth as her muscles tensed, her tail twitching as she walked to the edge of the roof.

The muscled man groaned as he spit out some blood.

"Those damn . . . freaks. My teeth. Knocked my . . . goddamned teeth out," he grumbled. Sophie growled as he listened. "I'll kill 'em dead! Them . . . and their families!"

Sophie began to growl and snarl as her claws dug into the stone of the roof. She leaned out over the side, ready to leap to the street and finish the men off, when she felt Kyle's frantic mind touch hers.

She was surprised that he was awake, and even more surprised at the astounding level of fear in his mind. At first, she thought an enemy had found their ship, but she quickly realized he was looking for her, and scared he couldn't find her.

Dropping everything, Sophie swiftly returned to the ship.

_Don't worry, Kyle! I'm coming back!_ she assured him as she bounded through the city.

XXX

When Sophie returned to the _Talon_ she was surprised to find Kyle was awake, and looking for her. He whirled when she opened the door.

"Sophie, what the-?" That was as far as he got as Sophie rushed forward and hugged him. Before he could even ask, Sophie touched her mind to his, showing him everything she had seen, all of it, almost the whole night in a few beats of a heart. Kyle's mind was reeling. Most of all, he could feel the unease in Sophie's mind. Kyle cupped her face and gently soothed her, stroking her face gently and lovingly, comforting her as she often did for him. "Hey, it's okay. It's all right, Sophie. It's all right. Shh." She gave a soft moan as she wrapped herself around him. Kyle gently stroked her and comforted her. Kyle motioned to the bed.

Sophie curled up with her head in his lap as he wrapped her up in warm, dry blankets. Sophie's purr lowered into the deep thrum of comfort. Kyle pulled the blankets around them as the settled down to sleep the rest of the night. As Sophie nestled her face next to his, he softly cupped her face. _Sophie, please don't leave like that again. I was very worried._ Sophie gave a soft moan as she snuggled closer.

_I'm sorry._ Kyle kissed her softly, letting her see his worries.

Even though Zerichs II was a different world, most humans judged by appearance, it was a fact of nature. Sophie _was_ slightly scary-looking. All it would take is for someone to see her, not understand and act out of fear. It wouldn't matter how sorry they might be, or if they discovered she was sentient, Sophie would still be dead. The mere thought made Kyle tremble, tears burning his eyes. Sophie purred as she stroked his hair, gently and lovingly kissing him and wiping his tears. _I'm sorry, my love. I promise I'll be more careful, as long as you do the same._ Kyle nodded as he nuzzled her.

_I promise, Sophie._ She purred deeply as she curled her tail around them, pulling the blankets tighter around them as the drifted back to sleep.

XXX

The next morning, Kyle made a point to get up bright and early and head to Granny Rose's shop, first thing. To make sure she was okay, and to get some more of those wonderful treats. Sophie went with him, up on the rooftops, watching and carefully analyzing the crowd, steering Kyle away from people who had even a hint of aggression in their scent.

Kyle felt worlds better to see the smiling face of the little old lady who reminded him of his own Grandma.

"Hello, Kyle. Back so soon?" Kyle heaved a great sigh of relief they were both okay, as did Sophie. Kyle nodded and smiled as he took a seat.

"Yes. I wanted to ask if I could pay you to make some more of those wonderful cakes. Especially that yellow one. What is that, anyway?" Granny Rose giggled, looking delighted.

"Thank you, sweetie, for the kind words. But, I'm not the one who made those." Kyle blinked as Gur gave an amused chirp. Granny Rose passed Kyle a frosted tea cake. "These wonderful treats are from the city. A delightful little bakery; the _Sugar Shack_. When you and Sophie get your lanyards and bracelets, you'll be able to leave the port, and go into the city. Be sure to give the _Sugar Shack_ a visit. I can guarantee you'll love the folks who run it. Especially their amaretto cake, which you seem to love," she finished with a wink.

Kyle spent a little more time with Granny Rose and Gur before he left their shop. As he did, he felt Sophie's amusement, and curiosity.

_Kyle, I've been exploring, and I was able to see a little bit of the city outside the port. It looks interesting, from what I saw._ Kyle smiled to himself at the colorless images from Sophie's mind.

_We might get a better view from the dock, where our ship is,_ Kyle replied.

_I thought about that, too. I want to see what the cliff above our ship is like. We should be able to get a good view from up there._ Kyle agreed. On the way back, he bought two seafood sandwiches for him and Sophie, making her almost drool. Kyle stopped at their ship to retrieve a pair of binoculars from the equipment stash of Reinhardt and something to drink, making a small picnic for them.

Outside the ship, Sophie wrapped her tail around Kyle and held him to her back as she climbed the cliff face. As they reached the top, Kyle noticed that the sun was beginning to set, casting all the world in lovely golden hues and tones. They were surprised to find a small pond at the top of the cliff, several small floating flowers bloomed in the water left by storms and surf. Kyle turned to look out at the city, and was awed.

The lighthouse was just being lit, as were many lights below in the city, adding to the golden look of the world. Lights were winking on in the windows of many homes in the city of Zeraven. Kyle pulled out the binoculars and focused them as Sophie purred, linking her mind with his.

To his amazement, several boats with sails were pulling into the docks by the water. Some were unloading cages of seafood and other things. Sophie was very excited by this. The small buildings and houses in Zeraven had a distinctive Old World look to them, from centuries ago, more so than those in the port.

In the growing golden light, the city looked small, comfortable and welcoming. Sophie purred as she gently wrapped her tail around them both.

_How beautiful. This would make a lovely paining,_ she observed. Kyle smiled as she stroked his face.

_You're absolutely right. Come on, let's have dinner._ Sophie trilled as they settled down for their picnic.

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the longer wait on this chapter, but difficulties in real life have taken precedence, not to mention I wanted to take the time to work out in greater detail how the world is and works, since I will be going into much greater detail about the world of Zerichs II in this story. As such, updates might take longer, so please have patience.

Read and Review and have a nice day!


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